Abstract

What do we mean by Childhood? In a close examination of the history of Western Childhood, Cunningham (1995) reveals that contemporary (Western) Childhood has been viewed to be distinct from Adulthood since the eighteenth century. However, Cunningham also states that this distinction has been bordering on change since the latter half of the twentieth century. Therefore, conceptualisations of Western Childhood may be said to be in a state of tension, or are undergoing transition. In this respect, Cunningham still provides a very useful framework for a discussion of our contemporary constructions of Childhood: